[SunkenCiv]

Among the treasure are several "seven ray rings" that are thought to represent the rays of sun. (Image credit: Maxim Pankin, Institute of Archaeology, RAS

[nickcarraway]

They were obviously hiding it from other Russians. No Russian trusts other Russians.

[MNJohnnie]

I seem to remember the Rus were a number of competing principalities based on cities that frequently waged war on each other.

As I remember some of the Rus princes withheld aid so the Mongols would destroy their rivals. In then end they were all destroyed

I see depressing similarities to political life in the US currently.

[El Cid]

The IRS?

[GOP Poet]

also very cool!! Thanks SunkenCiv!

[max americana]

Interesting. If this were a History series, they were hiding the treasure from aliens.

[DannyTN]

Beware roving bands of pre-mongols.

[BradyLS]

What about Scythians? Or Huns? Or Magyars? Or Pechenegs?

[Covenantor]

....The hidden treasure was found in the forested bank of a ravine several hundred yards away from two small medieval settlements that had existed there....

Ah...the First Forest Bank of Ryazan....Birch bark safety deposit containers for your valuables.

[Rowdyone]

Vikings. Popular history with a western civilization slant emphasizes their raids on the British Isles but they routinely raided East as well.

[COBOL2Java]

Medieval Russians hid silver hoard before Mongol invasion: They weren't hiding it from the Mongols, but an earlier, unknown enemy

Probably hiding it from some Soros ancestor

[blam]